Cash For Clunkers Worries

Be careful if you attempt to use the Cash for Clunkers Program.

Another Cash for Clunker Glitch: Mileage Ratings Change, Disqualifying Some Deals - Auto Observer

Edmunds.com learned of the EPA's mileage rating changes over the weekend from consumers who had checked their trade-ins' combined mileage rating as recently as last Thursday to make sure the vehicle qualified. They then discovered while shopping for a new vehicle over the weekend that they no longer qualified because of the EPA's mileage ratings refresh.

A few examples brought to Edmunds.com's attention by shoppers through its forums are a 1993 Camry station wagon with a V6 engine, a 1988 Toyota 4Runner and a 1992 Saab 900S. Initially each had a combined mileage rating of 18 mpg so they qualified as clunkers, but their "refreshed" rating came in at 19 mpg, so they ended up not qualifying.

AutoObserver.com has contacted the EPA for an explanation of the mileage ratings refreshed: no response yet.

I wonder what the government will do if a week from now, they attempt another 'refresh' of the data? Who's going to pay if someone trades in this week, but finds out they don't qualify next week?

This is the second big issue the program has faced. The first day the program was open for registration, the website crashed. High interest from dealers wanting to register forced the government to split the consumer site from the dealer site.